Hand Brush
by HeartAngel1796
Summary: I always liked the feeling of a loving hand brushing threw my hair. And now Astrid will discover she does too. But only one Viking in the entire Barbaric Archipelago could be trusted for such a delicate job. Rated for a little language and bold actions of the main character couple.
1. Chapter 1

**I don't own any of HTTYD. Please, enjoy. This is my first real try at writing something a bit more bold. And keep an eye out for the new HTTYD fanfic I just started writing (in honor of my dearly beloved lab my family just lost) and hope to post soon.**

**This takes place about a year after the events of the first movie. So Hiccup and Astrid are like 16.**

* * *

The forge of Berk was up and running none stop all day with both it's master blacksmith and his equally master worthy apprentice working like mad. Gobber pounded away at a villager's axe that got mistaken for a Monstrous Nightmare's chew and burn toy, with his replaceable hammer hand. And Hiccup by the sharpening stone with a barrel of dull swords to his right and another barrel of swords he's already sharpened to his left.

The young Viking had been in the forge all day helping Gobber fix other people's weapons and make new ones for others orders. Since he hadn't stepped outside since he walked there from his house first thing this morning, Hiccup didn't get to do anything he usually likes to do on an average day. He hadn't gone on a flight with Toothless, so his best friend might be a little irritated and/or jumpy when he gets home. And he hasn't seen any of his other friends either.

And yesterday he made plans with Astrid to go flying with her and maybe race today, but that didn't happen. Not that it was a date or anything. Astrid made it clear when she asked Hiccup to hang out together that it wouldn't be a date. But Hiccup was fine with whatever she wanted to call it, it was still a day together with just the two of them and their dragons, and that was all Hiccup needed to get exited for it. But sadly his excitement was wasted and crushed when Gobber steps in and says he needs his apprentice all day. Hiccup was on his last sword as he thought about what his day would have been like if he could have gone on that 'not date' with the most beautiful Viking to ever live on Berk, when Gobber stopped hammering to see his best friend's son stop the spinning stone and wipe his sweaty forehead with the back of his hand.

"Alright Hiccup, that's enough for today, you best be gettin' home," the burly blacksmith smiled to the lad.

"Are you sure Gobber? I thought you still needed help with one of the catapults," Hiccup said back, starting to untie his apron. As much as Hiccup liked to help, it was hardly sunset so if he got back home now he could still go on that ride with Toothless before it got to dark after all. Maybe even swig by Astrid's and see if she and Stormfly would still be up for that 'not date' flight they were supposed to have today.

"You've been here all day Hiccup, and besides, who else is going to take care of old Stoick up in your house with a cold. I would have not even let you come in at all today to take care of him, but you know your father, insisting he's right as rain and doesn't need to play patient for his own son. But I just had to promise him I'd send you back at least before dusk."

"Whatever you say Gobber, goodnight," Hiccup couldn't get out of their fast enough. True, he wasn't thrilled to tending to his father, stuck inside all day with a cold from helping move boulders from Silent Sven's sheep field after a rock slide all afternoon, in the rain. But he'd been stuck inside all day today too, so he was just eager to get out of the forge. When Hiccup was about half way up the small hill to his house, the front door opened and an overeager Night Furry bolted down towards him and nearly knocked him to the ground. "Okay Bud, I missed you too," Hiccup tried to move by his dragon so they could both walk back to the house side by side. When he got to the door, Hiccup could hear his father coughing and hacking like he was choking on a Terrible Terror. Hiccup opened the door and Toothless hobbled back in before his rider to lie by the fire. The chief, sitting slouched over on the bear fur covered wood bench couch on the other side of the fire pit with a handkerchief in hand, looked up to his son with dazed eyes.

"Welcome home son," Stoick the Vast greeted him in a congested and groggy voice before blowing his nose for presumably the thousandth time today. "Everything alright down there in the village?" Millison the healer has had Stoick under dragon guarded house arrest, with Toothless watching him on the inside and Thornado watching from outside the house if he tried to sneak out. So the chief hasn't been able to go outside and do what he normally does all day either. Hiccup could sympathize with his dad. He really wanted to get out and do other things but couldn't at the time. Staying in the hot forge all day with Gobber and now keeping his father inside to rest. So much for his plans.

"Everything's fine dad. Gobber says 'hi' and 'get better before you go mad staying inside all hours of the day.' Oh, and Mulch stopped by to tell me to tell you that they finally finished clearing all the boulders from Sven's west field." Hiccup reported to his sick levied father as he made his way to the kitchen for some fruit.

"Good. Hiccup could you get me my medicine, it's in that jug right there," Stoick asked as he shakily pointed to the big clay jug on the front corner of the counter. Hiccup grabbed a tankard and carefully poured the healer's made brew into it. But as the large drinking mug filled just right, the weight of the jug seamed awfully light, even for Hiccup's slowly developing muscles. Hiccup pointed an eye into the top of the jug and gave it a shack to see his suspicions correct; empty.

Hiccup set the jug back down and brought his father his medicine. "Here dad, that's the last of the jug Millison gave you though." Stoick took one sip then faced his son again.

"She said I had to have at least two mugs of this stuff every day and I'd be better by the time it was all gone," Stoick coughed before taking another gulp.

"It's okay dad, I'll just go to the healer's hut and have Millison make you another jug," Hiccup slugged the jug over his shoulder by the rope tied around the top neck and started for the door.

"Alright, I'm going to bed," Stoick chugged the last of the potion and sauntered to his room. Hiccup quietly hollered a goodnight and left with the jug.

* * *

The sun still hadn't quite set yet for the day on Berk. Hiccup made his way to the healer's hut in the slowly fading orange and golden light with the giant jug on his back. Hiccup walked into the front room of the hut to see Elder Gothi grinding herds in a stone bowl. She raised her head and smiled to see the chief's son and grabbed her walking staff to stand.

"Evening Gothi. Is Millison still here? My dad needs more of that elixir for his cold," Hiccup asked and slugged the jug off him and set on the dirt floor of the front room. Gothi nodded and walked slowly over to a shelf of bottles and jars filled with herbs and medicines. As Hiccup watched her grab a few, a hissing yelp made him jump. And almost immediately another one followed. Hiccup wasn't too surprised to hear sounds of pain in the healer's hut, but he was still spooked and even a bit concerned. "What was that?" Hiccup looked to the village Elder. Gothi turned back around and pointed her staff to the hall with a curtained off room at the end of it. Hiccup looked back to the old women and she added her eyes to her gesture as if to say 'go on.' "What about Millison?" Gothi only responded with pointing her staff further in the direction of the hall the pain induced yelps were coming from. Hiccup turned back to the hall as another yelp filled the air. Millison must be with a patient.

The young Viking wasn't too keen on walking in on a healer tending to a patient, and the patient wouldn't be too pleased with that either. But Gothi was letting him go and he needed Millison to make more of that medicine, and the sooner he got that medicine for his father the sooner he could go back home and relax. Hiccup sighed and slowly made his way down the hall and to the curtain door. "OWW! That stings!" the patient once again hissed from the other side. 'Wait.' Hiccup's eyes widened. 'I know that voice.' Without an ask for entry, Hiccup pulled the two hung cloths apart, revealing his presence to the two ladies inside.

"Astrid," Hiccup said quietly to mostly himself but loud enough that they both still heard him, as he let the curtain go and close behind him. Astrid bolted up straight where she sat on the side of the cot at the sight of her dear friend. To her left was healer Millison in a chair with a jar of disinfectant cream. As Hiccup wondered why his dear friend was here, his eyes traveled from there original area of staring; which was her face, to the many scratches and bruises along her arms and a bandage rapped snug around her right wrist. Also, Astrid wasn't wearing her shoulder armor plates or her red spiked skirt. Those were in a small pile at the foot of the bed on the floor. But the biggest stand out of her condition was her horrendous new hair do.

"Hiccup, what the Hel are you doing here?" Astrid pretty much shouted from where she sat on her cot.

"Getting my dad more medicine for his cold," Hiccup stated absentmindedly as he walked over to her and knelt by her cot to look at her arms. Astrid pulled them away before he could try to take one.

"I meant, why are you back here?"

"She's right Hiccup. These rooms are for patients, their families, and healers only," Millison said back sternly, dabbing two fingers back into the ointment and gently rubbing it to one of the many cuts all over Astrid's arms. She only did so for a few seconds before the young shieldmaiden once again hissed from the pain and yanked her arm away from the middle aged healer. Millison breathed a small huff of frustration. Astrid was never a good patient, even when she was a child; even as a new born. Millison would know, she helped deliver her. She turned her agitated gaze back to Hiccup still by the bed and she straightened up at the thought of an idea. "Then again, I could always make an exception to a patient's good friends. In fact, Hiccup, why don't you take over. I've already bandaged up that slightly sprained wrist of hers, all she needs now is a little of this for those cuts and she's good to go." Millison stood and shoved the jar into his hands and started to cross the room to the curtain door. "And while you're doing that, I'll get brewin' on that medicine for the chief." She gave them an over happy smile and hastily yanked the curtains to leave.

"Hey! Wait Millison! What about my hair?!" Astrid yelled to the closed curtain, but there was no response. Astrid gave a frustrated huff and slumped over where she sat.

"What about your hair?" Hiccup asked, pulling a stool out from under the cot to sit on and placing the jar on the floor by his foot, not taking his eyes off her ever if she kept hers' on the floor in front of her. Astrid raised her head up to glare at him with very annoyed eyes. Hiccup flicked his eyes up from her face back to her severely messed up braid, decorated with twigs and leaves for a split second; Duh! "I mean, uh, scratches and broken wrists I know Millison can help in a heart beat; but hair?" Hiccup scrambled out nervously, hoping to not get her more mad.

"She said she would help me fix _this_" pointing sharply to her head, "afterwards since I can't with my bad wrist." Hiccup watched as Astrid cradled her rapped hand. He gave a quiet sigh as he picked up Millison's jar once again, dabbed a finger in, and reached for one of Astrid's cuts. Before his cream covered digit could make contact with her arm, Astrid grabbed his wrist to stop him and she finally let him look her in the eyes since he came in.

"Millison said you need a little more of this or those are gonna get worse," Hiccup said as sternly as he could to convince her to let him as she needed it. But it was harder then he would have thought, being this close to Astrid. Scratch that; Astrid's face.

"Fine," she huffed out, letting go of the boy's wrist and let him dab the stinging substance on one of her cuts. Astrid hissed threw gritted teeth, but surprisingly it didn't hurt quite as much as it did when Millison was applying it to most of them before she left.

"What happened to you anyway," Hiccup asked concerned as he repeatedly dabbed his finger back into the jar and rubbed it off onto his crush's arms. Astrid lets him do this as she explains.

"Well, since you couldn't go flying with me today, I went flying by myself. Stormfly and I were soaring and everything was great, then I got the idea to practice her maneuvering. So I steer her down a little into the forest so she can swerve, she dodges all the trees just fine, then out of nowhere, a swarm of Terrible Terrors fly out at Stormfly's face and mine. She freaked out, bucked a little too hard and I fall off. And there was a tree right under us, so a fell right through the very top and I hit just about every branch on my way down. But luckily, I landed in a bush at the base of the tree, which broke my fall," Astrid said that last sentence with a bit of a dry laugh. "As soon as I was sure Stormfly was calm, I picked myself up and flew back with the intention of going home and just brushing out my hair and going to bed, but then I noticed my wrist was hurting pretty bad. So I flew Stormfly back to my house and walked here." Astrid cringed one more time as Hiccup treated the last of her cuts and sealed the lid over the jar.

"I'm sorry," he said as he stood and walked to the shelf across the room from the cot to put the disinfectant out of site.

"Why are you sorry? I'm the idiot who fell off her own dragon," Astrid crossed her arms in a huff. Hiccup placed the jar on the old wood next to a box of gazes and an old hair brush.

"Well it probably wouldn't have happened if you were racing someone instead," Hiccup turned around, leaning his back on the far vertical plank of the shelf with his arms folded as well as he looked to her. Astrid rose her head back up to see his apologetic face.

"Hiccup, you we're busy, I get it," she let go of her arms and gripped the edge of the hay stuffed mattress. "And it was nothing. I'm fine."

"You always say that," Hiccup smirked slightly crooked, eying her arms once again. "I am surprised that you came here at all though. It takes more then just a few little scratches to have the great Astrid Hofferson seek medical help on her own," they both chuckled a bit at his boasting of her, but quickly faded to a few odd moments of silence.

"If it was just the scratches I wouldn't have come here at all. I would have just fixed my own mess of hair myself, but since it hurts to use my hand right now, I just came here so Millison could fix my hair for me. But she insisted I also needed stuff on my arms." Hiccup understood. He knew Astrid's mother was the farthest thing from gentle; even with her own daughter's hair. When she was a child her mother would yank a rough brush through young Astrid's hair and it hurt like Hel. So Astrid learned to brush her own hair at a young age and never again let her mother, or anyone else really, touch her hair.

Astrid continued to look her closest friend up and down. She was both surprised and grateful that he had the patients and cared enough to tolerate her when she needed medical attention, especially when even an actual professional on medicine did not. Then her sight shifted to behind his shoulder on the wood shelf; an old hair brush.

Millison did tell Hiccup to finish for her. And if him disinfecting her cuts for her hurt less then it did when the old healer was, he had to be even more gentle then she would be with hair. If that was true, she wouldn't have wanted this any other way. As much as she didn't like anyone else but her brushing (let alone even touching) her hair, that was her reason for coming here in the first place.

Hiccup caught onto her staring and turned his head to the shelf he was leaning on. "What?" he asked looking back to her confused why she was focused on the shelf.

"The brush," Astrid stated simply and almost demandingly.

"What about it?" Hiccup didn't quit know why, but he picked the brush up and looked at it carefully for a moment before returning his gaze back to his dream girl half way across the room.

"Millisons' making that medicine for your dad, she told you to finish helping me, and I can't fix my hair myself," Hiccup looked down at the brush again. 'Was Astrid letting me fix her hair? She never lets anyone touch her hair.' "Well," Astrid pulled the Viking boy out of his thoughts as she patted the space beside her on the cot. "…come here," she softly demanded. Hiccup smiled lightly as he walked back over to her and sat on the side, closer to the foot of the bed while Astrid made room for him by scooting up towards the head board.

"Okay, just turn around and I can get started," Hiccup happily instructed. Astrid nodded slightly nervous and turned about half of the way she would need to allow Hiccup full access to her hair, before she quickly turned back to him.

"Be gentle," she ordered more sternly then she may have intended.

"If it hurts at all just say something and I'll stop," Hiccup assured her and gave her a warm smile to boot. Astrid gave a breathy sigh and turned all the way around. Her left leg bent and lying on the sheets with her right hanging off the edge; her back fully to Hiccup. Hiccup placed the brush to the side on the cot for later.

"Alright, first I need to take your braid out so it's all down, then I'm gonna pull all the leaves and twigs I can out, then I should be able to brush your hair out just fine," Hiccup explained softly. He knew how nervous she must be. Her mother was the last person, besides herself, to touch her hair, and that was years ago, but the teen could still remember how much it hurt.

"Okay," Astrid tried to mask how uneasy she was with false confidence in her voice. Hiccup heard this in her tone and slowly reached for her hair. "But Hiccup," she said so fast but Hiccup immediately pulled his hands away before they touched a single strand of her golden locks. "Just…can you just…you know, talk to me. Just to remind me it's you back there?"

"Yeah. Of course," Hiccup took one more breathe in a sigh and, with the greatest of care, finally took hold of Astrid's hair and began to undo her braid.

The feeling of someone else touching her hair was strange to the Viking girl. As soon as she felt another pair of hands in her hair and started to do something with it, she immediately cringed and braced herself for something painful. But these hands on her head that pulled off her headband, took out her hair tie, and began to unwind her messed up braid, were gentle. So gentle that the feeling actually felt good. Almost enjoyable even. Who could have such special hands like these? Then she reminded herself, these hands belonged to someone special indeed.

"You said you were going to talk to me," Astrid snapped as lightly as she could. She was still uneasy about her current situation but she didn't want to be a bitch to a sweet guy like Hiccup for doing this for her and he was actually capable of making it pleasant even.

"Oh, yeah." Hiccup scrambled for something to talk about but came up short. "Um…what do you want me to say?" The blonde girl quickly searched for a topic that the chief's son could not think of. The chief; that was why he came here in the first place.

"How's your dad's cold?"

"He's getting better. If he was still as bad as before, Millison would have demanded I not leave the house at all too to take care of him." Hiccup came upon a small knot that prevented him from separating two of her braid strands. If he pulled a bit harder then he had been he could get it but it could also hurt the girl who was trusting him not to hurt her while he fixes her hair. 'It might hurt a little to her, just pull slowly and keep talking' he thought to himself as he carefully pulled the knotted strands apart and Astrid didn't even flinch as she responded and Hiccup continued to untie her braid.

"Is that why it was okay for Gobber to have you working for him all day?" Astrid could feel Hiccup spreading her hair out a bit and felt it through her shirt as it covered her back.

"Well while I'm working hard in the forge, it's better that Toothless isn't there to distract me and he would just wine because he wants me to take him flying," Hiccup was finished untying Astrid's braid and was now removing all the leaves and small twigs, the tree she fell in left behind, as carefully as possible. "So if he stays at home, he can keep my dad company and help Thornado make sure he doesn't try to sneak out and try chiefing while he's sick." Hiccup chuckled and even heard a soft giggle from the beautiful Viking before him with her back to him.

As Hiccup moved Astrid's hair around more and searched to remove all the forest contents tangled within the long golden strands, his fingers not only glazed the soft surface but also began to dig deeper in and around it all. With it all completely down it reached just about the end of her spine. Hiccup blushed a bit when he looked down to check this and found he was staring at her butt. With just her under skirt she wears under her spiky skirt on, he can actually make out a nice shape to it. Hiccup quickly shook it off when he realized what he was just thinking.

When he snapped his eyes back up to the top of her head, he saw that there were no more leaves or twigs visible on the surface. 'But that doesn't mean there aren't anymore under' he thought to himself. So Hiccup began to sink his fingers even deeper into her hair and run them all the way threw to her ends. Hiccup repeated this motion again and again; somehow unable to stop, till his fingers were completely buried in her hair with every brush threw. Astrid's hair was so soft and smooth, it was like stroking silk. Silk that was kissed by the sun. He began to lose himself in that sea of golden sun light cascading down the back of the girl who holds his heart.

The feeling was new and somewhat odd at first, but the deeper Hiccup's fingers went into her hair, pulling it just right to get all of the snarls out and for it not to hurt at all, the more she liked it. The more she craved it.

It was like Hiccup was massaging her head, making her forget all about the pain of her mother heartlessly brushing it for her years ago.

She remained quiet for the time being. Only wanting to focus on the amazing feeling of such caring hands making her hair neat and pretty again. Hiccup stopped talking as well, he didn't even need to think anymore. He was just moving his hands as they wanted to feel the amazing gift that was Astrid Hofferson's beautiful hair, so generously given to them to stroke.

Astrid was starting to become so relaxed her eye lids were starting to slowly close on her. Hiccup's amazing fingers threw all her hair was starting to put her to sleep. Hiccup himself didn't even notice she had lulled off until she came falling back into him, pushing him down with her. Astrid would have even remained unconscious and slept on the dragon trainer for the rest of the evening, if Hiccup hadn't hit his head to the wooden board at the foot of the bed on his way down, and gave a small yell of pain, waking the Viking girl back up.

"Hiccup, oh gods, are you okay?" Astrid asked worried, immediately snapping totally awake and sat back up to her spot on the bed. Hiccup slowly joins her as he rubs the back of his head.

"It's fine, just a bump," the auburn haired boy sat back up on the cot.

"I'm sorry, I guess I just dosed off," Astrid brought a small handful of her hair from behind her shoulder to stroke herself, feeling embarrassed and mad at herself for messing the moment up.

"Well you've been through a lot today, you mush be tired."

"Yeah tired," Astrid responded, knowing that wasn't the case. The blond Viking continued to stroke her hair, but slowing down as she turned her head to look back at the floor. It didn't feel the same as when Hiccup did it. Not even close.

Hiccup looked at her slightly disappointed expression and thought he did something wrong. 'Maybe I pulled to hard and now she hates me? Or she thinks it's weird I didn't use the brush?' At that realization, Hiccup looks back to the old brush from the shelf he forgot to use after her hair was cleared of leaves and twigs. But for some reason, he found that funny and gave a small laugh. Astrid heard him and stopped fiddling with her hair to look back to the boy she adores, chuckling to himself.

"What?"

"I completely forgot about the brush," Hiccup continued to chuckle as he reached and picked the brush back up from where he left it on the other side of the cot, holding it in his hands in his lap. Astrid brought her hands up and lightly went to join his. Hiccup lifted his head back up to look at her and she returned his gaze.

"I know," Astrid pulled the brush out of his hands and placed it back away from them while keeping her opposite hand with his, and immediately bringing it back; not taking her eyes from his. Astrid took a gentle hold of Hiccup's wrists and brought them to the space between their two faces. Astrid stared as she looked at the hands that were so good to her hair. Wanting to show her gratitude. Astrid brought one of the hands closer and placed her lips to the tips and print sides of his fingers, doting a few of them with feathering kisses.

And very slowly, Astrid guided Hiccup's caring hands back to her head. Hiccup looked at her slightly confused at first, but the second his hands felt her wonderful hair under the callused skin of his fingers once again, he stopped thinking and let his hands do what they could only do now.

Hiccup scooted forward more so he wouldn't have to lean so far and sunk his fingers back into her beautiful hair and dragged them down to the very end, only to bring them back up and do it again. Astrid fluttered her eyes closed, the feeling was back and she didn't want to focus on anything else. Not even the adorable look of pure bliss on Hiccup's face right in front of her.

After what felt like hours; but was only about ten minutes, Astrid slowly opened her eyes and brought her left hand up to place over top of Hiccups', bringing in slightly down to cup her check. Hiccup's touch was so amazing. She'd kissed him ones before but never knew he was this gentle with his hands. He was a blacksmith, so he must be. Maybe if she did it again, it would feel different. The best kind of different. After all, that's what Hiccup is. That's what she loved the most about him.

Astrid leaned forward and eagerly pushed him back down on the cot. Only this time, she wasn't sleepy at all. Hiccup's head hit the sheet this time as Astrid crashed her lips to his, stopping whatever he would have said to this sudden action. To return the favor, Astrid brought her left hand up to dig into Hiccup's thick auburn hair while her bandaged one went to rest of his chest. Hiccup was in shock, but after the first second, he was too high in heaven to dwell on it. With both his hands digging and stroking into his Valkyrie's soft, beautiful hair and her even softer lips moving in sync with his, the chief's son was in Valhalla. Hiccup could have sworn he felt Astrid's tongue brush along his lip once or twice. To test if she wanted to enter, Hiccup slightly parted his lips and the moment he did, her tongue dove right in. Stealing a small seed on confidence, Hiccup moved his tongue towards hers and she moved hers back. They fought for dominance as Astrid gave a moan at Hiccup's retaliation to her whim.

Minutes past, and Hiccup wished if he was dreaming that he may never wake up. Somewhere along the action, Astrid had split her legs to straddle her Viking below her and began to rock back and forth.

Hiccup snapped his eyes open at this and knew he was going to lose it if she continued. Luckily, Astrid released his mouth and started to dot chaste kisses down his jaw and neck so he could talk. Unluckily, Hiccup found himself now unable to think straight and even more unable to form a sentence then before.

"A-Astrid… um…wa-wait," Hiccup was able to stuttered out at least. Astrid heard him, stopped moving her lower body, gave the nook where his neck and shoulder met one last quick suck in a kiss, and raised her head back up and just hovered over him with a playful smile on her face.

"Yeah?" Astrid asked simply, if not a little innocent like as she supported herself above him by her elbows on both sides of his head. Even though she was barely touching him anymore, she was still only centimeters from his face. Hiccup once again found himself unable to talk and all that came out were a few 'uhs' and 'ums.' Astrid rolled her eyes with her smile never fading. She loved how she had this effect on him. Whether she was kissing him, grinding down on him, or just staring into his eyes when they were so close he could feel her breathe on his lips. Maybe that's why he can't talk, even after he was the one who wanted to pause so he could say something. "Would it be easier for you to talk if I got up?" Astrid asked again, like it was a simple question. Hiccup still didn't know just what to say, so he just closed his mouth and nodded, making an 'uh-huh' sound in his throat. Astrid shrugged and sat back up to her spot from before. Hiccup just stayed where he was for an extra moment before also sitting back up with her, his leg and prosthetic draped over the edge while Astrid sat cross legged.

"Something wrong?"

"No. Gods no. You just… I mean." Astrid looked at him, expecting him to spit out whatever was on his mind. "Damn," Hiccup turned his head away, mad at himself that he still couldn't talk.

"I like it," Hiccup snapped his head back to her.

"What?"

"When you brush my hair, with only your hands. It feels amazing," Astrid reached for his hand closest to her and just rubbed her thumbs over the top before looking back at him.

"Really?" Hiccup asked, pleased but still in slight disbelief.

"Really," Astrid reassured him as he looked down to their hands, a bit bashfully. "You liked it too, didn't you," More of a statement then a question. Hiccup raised his head back up. "I can see it on your face Hiccup. And you kept your hands in my hair like they belonged there. I could tell." After a short pause of them just being lost in each others' eyes, Astrid brought the hand of Hiccups' she took and placed it back on her head. Astrid kept her hand on his wrist to keep it in place. She knew he would catch on, and he did. As Hiccup started to stroke her hair, Astrid doped her hand and let her human hair brush do his desired job only she would allow for him.

"It's beautiful. And soft, and silky and" Hiccup dug his fingers back in and dragged them all the way down and then went immediately back up, "…addictive." Astrid closed her eyes and gave a sigh. Hiccup didn't know what kind of sigh it was so he stopped encase it meant she'd had enough. Astrid opened her eyes, looking for a reason why he stopped. 'Hiccup, you're to kind for your own good,' she thought smirking outwardly.

"Go ahead. Keep going," she smiled sweetly to encourage him. Hiccup smiled back, relived and happy he could continue.

"I'm honored."

"What?"

"You've never let anyone touch your hair; ever. And you trusted me with it, and you still do," Hiccup brought his other hand up to join his first in the fun.

"Of course I do Hiccup. You're the most trust worthy person I know," Hiccup paused for a moment to just look at her, his hands both full of half her hair by her shoulders. "And I know you'd never hurt me." Hiccup leaned forward as Astrid did the same.

"Hiccup!" Millison hollered, a second later the current flew open to her standing there. The two sweethearts snapped back from each other to see the middle aged healer in the curtained door way with a huge urn in her arms. "Hiccup, I've got that medicine right here for the chief," Hiccup stood and slowly took the jug from the healer.

"Thanks Millison," Hiccup thanked her; slight disappointment in his voice but she didn't seem to notice.

"It's what I do," Millison smiled and looked behind him to see Astrid still roughly where she left her. "Astrid, your hair looks lovely. I hope she didn't give you too hard a time to allow you to do that," she asked Hiccup in a quieter tone to not let Astrid hear, but she could hear just fine.

"Not at all Millison, not at all," Hiccup turned a little bit back to his blond beauty still on the cot, and still grinning.

"Well then, Hiccup you best be getting that medicine back home to the chief. And you young lady, should be on your way home too; it's late," Millison ushered them both out the curtain door. Astrid stood, quickly pulled her spiked skirt and shoulder pad armor back on, and followed Hiccup through the panned curtain and out the front door of the healer's hut.

* * *

After half a minute of walking back to Hiccup's house in the cold, early winter evening, Astrid noticed he was starting to struggle a bit with the jug on a rope lugged over his back. "Do you need any help carrying that?" Astrid stopped and asked him with a bit of humor in it.

"Well, it was a bit lighter when it was empty," Hiccup struggled but followed suit with her humor. Astrid smiled and got behind him to hold the jug up a bit, taking some of the weight off Hiccup's back. The two of them lugged the heavy jug back up to the chief's house, Astrid let go to open the door and Hiccup brought it in, placing it on the floor with a thud.

"Well that took longer then I expected," Hiccup dragged the jug by the rope over into the kitchen.

"You're the one who wanted to brush my hair for almost two hours," Astrid teased, standing by the fire to warm her hands.

"It wasn't two hours, and you're the one who let me," Hiccup humored her back while struggling to lift the jug onto the counter. "I told you if you wanted me to stop I would stop." Hiccup got the over sized urn onto the wooden counter top and gave a huff of overexertion. After he quickly recovered, Hiccup turned back to see Astrid waiting and looking at him expectantly on the bear skin covered coach by the fire.

"What?" Hiccup moved from behind the counter.

"Come here," Astrid nodded her head toward her direction and pat the fur on the coach to her left. Hiccup smiled and shrugged, not knowing exactly what she wants, but he went over to sit with her as she asked. "You're not done," she said after he was seated. Hiccup looked at her confused.

"Yeah I am. I got out all the leaves and twigs and tangles. Your hairs' perfect," Hiccup found himself staring at her hair again, really wanting to get his hands on it again.

"Maybe," Astrid shrugged playfully, pulling out her hair tie and headband Hiccup took off her back at the healer's hut and placing them in Hiccup's hands. "but you still have to braid it."

"I do?" Hiccup looked down at her accessories given back to him.

"You can't braid?"

"No, I can braid."

"Then get started," Astrid smiled and turned her back completely to him. Hiccup smiled too, happy she was letting him play with her gorgeous hair he loves so much. Almost as much as the Valkyrie it was all attached to.

Hiccup put the leather hair tie to his mouth to hold between his teeth. He placed the stone studded leather headband in his lap and went for her hair. Hiccup remembered he used to help his father braid back his hair and his beard a few times when he was a bit younger. Gobber had ever asked him to help him fix the braids in his mustache over the years at the forge as well. The chief could do it himself but Gobber, with only one real hand with real fingers, can't do that himself; that's why he needs an apprentice. But braiding Astrid's hair was completely different. His father's and mentor's hair was always rough and greasy, and Gobbers' often smelled strange because he never bathes enough. But Astrid's hair is like he told her; soft, silky, and now that he thought to check, it smelled of strawberries, wild flowers, and something so _Astrid_, he knew right then and there why it was also so… _addictive_.

Hiccup finished the braid, the both of them silent the whole time, took the leather tie from his teeth and tied it to the end to secure her beautiful woven hair. Even if Hiccup knew he hadn't braided in awhile now, he had to admire his work himself. Looking at Astrid's head closer, he was done but she hadn't moved. Then Hiccup looked down and saw the headband. He should put that on for her too. Hiccup picked it back up and was about to slip it back on her when he paused as an odd idea came to mind. 'I don't care if she punches me or where, I've always wanted to do this,' Hiccup though with a Cheshire smile. So, before he could try to over think it and change his mind, Hiccup leaned closer to the back of Astrid's head, held his breathe in so she couldn't feel it on her ivory skin and placed his lips to the side of her narrow neck.

Astrid slightly jumped at the sudden feeling, but she still knew who was behind her, she relaxed and tilted her head away from where his lips were to give him more access. Hiccup slowly startled leaving several kisses up and down her neck, each sending a bolt of lightning through them both. This lightning being brought by Thor, but at the request of Freya.

After several kisses to her lovely neck, Hiccup, duplicating what she did to him back at the healer's hut, gave her one last sucking smooch to the nook of her shoulder to her neck, Astrid giggled as the raspberry like blow he gave to it, before pulling away and placing her head band back on her head like he was crowning a princess.

"All done," Hiccup simply said in a whisper in her ear, after taking his hands away. Astrid raised her hands up to feel her head band in place and her hair in a perfect braid. She couldn't have done a better job herself. Astrid quickly slipped her hands from her braid and turned around in her seat to look at the young man who did such a beautiful job. Hiccup smiled warmly as soon as he could see her bright icy blue eyes looking at him so appreciatively. So appreciative, Astrid knew a simple 'thank you' would not do her gratitude for a young man like him justice. Fortunately, she did know what could. Astrid gently grabbed Hiccup's svelte shoulders and pulled his lips to hers. Not so deep and heated like when she pinned him earlier, but passionate just the same. Although the kiss didn't last as long as the Viking boy thought. Astrid pulled away, still holding his shoulders, still close enough they could feel each others' breathe on they lips. All they did was stare at each other for a minute or two before Astrid removed her hands and got up to stand in front of him.

"Goodnight Hiccup," Astrid smiled, leaning over to give him one last peck on the forehead.

"Goodnight Astrid," Hiccup smiled at her as she walked toward the front door, giving him one more look with a smile and left. Hiccup sat back, settling into the bear skin with a blissful sigh.

Astrid should let him do her hair for her more often.

* * *

**Please review!** **I had an idea for an extra chapter (just one) and if I get enough reviews from U guys saying U liked it and want me to write and add the bonus chapter, I will gladly do that. Fav and Review!**


	2. Bonus Chapter

**U all reviewed and asked for this, so here it is! Enjoy!**

* * *

Tossing, turning, groaning out of annoyance and frustration, and then more tossing and turning. Astrid Hofferson couldn't sleep.

She was lying on planks of wood as usual, so it wasn't her bed that was the problem. There wasn't any noise outside or downstairs. Her neighbors were normally very quiet at night and her parents were gone with a few other villagers on a fishing trip. Other then Stormfly out in her pen behind the house, Astrid was pretty much alone.

At her wit's end, Astrid rolled off her bed and went downstairs for some water. She wasn't exactly all that thirsty but she was bored and couldn't fall asleep.

In the kitchen, Astrid stood leaning on the counter, sipping a tankard of water, just staring at the dying fire pit. After she had gotten home just a few hours ago, she didn't know what else she could do except go to bed. But she started a small fire anyway just to keep the house warm. Seeing as she was up, Astrid walked over to the pit to throw another log or two on to burn. Sitting back on the fur pelt covered wood coach, the bored and blonde Viking teen placed her tankard on the floor by her feet and mindlessly stared into the fire.

It took her a minute until she realized she had pulled her hair that was still in a braid from behind her and started stroking it with her left hand. Her wrist was still rapped and still hurt a bit. Why didn't she take her hair down before she went to bed? She always did, even though she wasn't sleeping.

Hiccup fixed, brushed, and braided her hair for her and didn't hurt her at all. It was the nicest feeling in the world to her. Next to flying. It didn't feel right taking it out yet. Besides, it was more of a two handed job even if it did feel right. He just did it for her less then three hours ago back at his house, and fixed it back at the healer's hut. The feeling of Hiccup's long and skilled fingers threw her hair filled her memory and all she wanted was it back.

* * *

Hiccup sat awake at his desk in his room, draped over a sketch for a new invention to help the fishermen raise their nets. He was done with the basic sketch he needed to start building it, but he couldn't sleep, so he thought he'd add a few details and maybe then he would be tired enough to fall asleep. But even after he finished that sheet of plans, the new design for Toothless' tail, a model for a new prosthetic, and a diagram for a new fire prevention system for the whole village, he still wasn't tired. Hiccup knew he didn't exactly want to draw, he just knew he had to do something with his hands and fingers. Every since Astrid left his house earlier that night, Hiccups' wanted her to come back so he could play with her beautiful hair. When he said it was addictive, he meant it. He couldn't sleep because his hands kept twitching and stroking the only thing close; his blanket, which wasn't the same at all and only irritated him more. He couldn't sleep or stroke Astrid's hair, more golden and more valuable then any treasure in the world.

Hiccup groaned and looked over to his sleeping best friend on his stone slab across the room. 'Maybe there's something in my sketch book that I can dabble in,' he thought to himself, knowing it wasn't going to satisfy his eager fingers, but he had to do something if he wasn't going to sleep. Hiccup retched into his vest for the little sketch book he always carried with him, but was surprised to not find it there. It wasn't on his desk and not anywhere else in his room. Hiccup even risked waking Toothless up by looking in his saddle bad. But upon looking in, he not only woke up his dragon, but his sketch book was still nowhere to be found.

The Night Fury raised his head to his rider in front of him, eyes dazed and gave a small moan as if he was just woken up in the middle of a nice dream. "Sorry Toothless," Hiccup patted his best friend on his head a few times. As Hiccup did this to get his dragon to go back to sleep, he began to think of where he could have left his sketch book. And then it dawned on him. He'd been in the forge all day, where else could it be. Hiccup stood up and headed for the stairs and Toothless started to get up to follow him. Hiccup turned and gestured his dragon back. "No bud, it's okay. I'll be back in a bit," he soothed his dragon. Toothless listened to his rider and laid back down. "Go back to sleep," Hiccup gave his best friend one more rub on the head before he went back to his desk, blew out the candle, and quietly walked down the stairs and out the front door, trying not to disturb his dragon or sick father.

* * *

Turns out, Hiccup did leave his sketch book on his desk back in the forge. Gobber had gone home and closed up sometime ago, but Hiccup could still get in, grab it, and get out without any difficulties.

After the Viking boy had finished re-locking the door, he was prepared to just go straight back home, sketch some more and wish he could fall asleep and dream about swimming in a golden sea of Astrid's hair. But upon turning around, the silhouette of a figure slowly walking towards him, caught his eye.

"Hiccup?" the figure said. The figure started walking a bit faster and closer, coming out of the shadow of a house and into the light of the moon. Hiccup knew who it was before they showed themselves; or _she_ showed _herself_.

"Astrid, what are you doing out at this hour?" Hiccup walked up to her and away from the forge. She was wearing a fur pelt coat and her boots, but he could tell from her shivering that she must not be wearing much under it. She must be in her nightgown.

"Couldn't sleep. Thought a walk would help," Astrid shrugged her shoulders, looking at his face before dropping them to his hands at his sides. One of them holding a little book she knew too well.

"Yeah me too," Hiccup rubbed the back of his head. "I mean, I just left my sketch book here and I need it," he brought the leather bound book up in between them.

"Because you can't sleep?" Hiccup nodded his head.

"How's you wrist?"

"Fine. Still kinda hurts if I try to use it," Astrid held her wrist in her other hand in front of them. They both looked back at each other eyes. "Well I should be getting back," Astrid started to turn around but Hiccup stopped her with a light hand on her shoulder.

"Wait, Astrid," Astrid looked back at him. Hiccup didn't know exactly how to ask what he wanted to, be he couldn't just let her go like this. He'd been trying to fall asleep all night thinking about her and praying to every God he could have another chance to have her hair to brush; this was it. "Uh…I-I was thinking, that, um…if you were having a hard time sleeping, maybe… if you'd like," before he could finish his sentence, Astrid had turned more to him and gave him the quickest peck on the lips just to get him to stop talking. Hiccup looked back at her smiling face, his face turning red. Her skin looked even more ivory in the moon light. And her hair. If in the golden light of the setting or rising sun she looked like a Valkyrie, then in the slivery glow of the moon she was relieved to be a goddess as her true natural.

"Come on," Astrid eagerly pulled at his wrist toward the way she came from. Hiccup happily obliged and walked with her. Sliding his hand to hold hers' properly, intertwining their fingers.

* * *

When they got to the Hofferson household, Hiccup was surprised Astrid wasn't trying to be sneaky at all. He began to worry if she was just trying to get him in trouble with her parents, but upon entering the front room with the fire pit and kitchen, Astrid assured him that her parents were on a fishing trip and she; or _they_ were all alone tonight.

Astrid gestured for Hiccup to sit by the fire while she shed her winter gear. Hiccup did as he was asked and sat on the fur pelt covered coach, much like the one in his house. Hiccup tried to keep his eyes on the fire, but he found then more often then not looking back at Astrid slipping her lean legs out of her boots and pulling her coat off her shoulders across the room between the door and a rack. He was right, she was in her nightgown. 'Did girls wear their under garments and bindings when the slept?' Hiccup thought nervously as he tried to look away when she rose a bit on her toes to hang her coat. Seeing her like this, the memory of what her butt looks like without her spiked skirt over her under skirt instantly came back to him. The similarity of the two sights was almost too much. The fire wasn't very lively, so he couldn't blame his cheeks flushing a darker red then before on it.

Hiccup was looking into the dying fire but his mind was only on Astrid, her amazing hair, and her well curved rear. He didn't even notice she was done until she plopped down right next to him on the furs, turned completely to him with her right elbow resting on the top of the coach's back. Hiccup snapped back from Astrid in his memory to the real Astrid right there next to him. The real thing was obviously more beautiful. And he could touch this Astrid.

Hiccup looked her up and down. He could take her good hand that was just in front of her knees. But that was too close to her leg and that seemed a little too bold for him right now. He could cup her cheek and maybe she'd let him kiss her. But looking back at her face lead his eyes back to her hair. The hair that was still in the braid he did for her. The hair he had been craving all night.

Astrid could tell he was looking at her, but not directly. She already knew. She could tell what he was thinking about back by the forge. That's why she brought him here.

Before Hiccup could make up his mind on where to touch her to make sure she was real and he wasn't just dreaming or hallucinating, Astrid quickly turned a hundred and eighty degrees with her back to the pondering boy she adores. And Hiccup knew exactly what he wanted and she wanted him to do. Hiccup, for the second time that evening, removed the leather hair tie at the end on her beautiful braid and began to unweave it from the bottom up and scattered her hair loose and free.

But before Hiccup could dig his anxious fingers back into her sea of gold, Astrid, in one swift move, quickly turned back around, leapt up, and sat on her beloved's lap with her legs on both sides of him and her hands on his shoulders, staring lovingly at him all over.

Hiccup was too shocked to speak or react at all. Astrid, knowing he needed a little help and happy to oblige, grabbed Hiccup's hands and placed them back on her head. Taking the hint, Hiccup kept his hands where they were wanted and brushed them threw, deep and lovingly. And Astrid brought her arms up to rap around his neck.

"Hiccup?" Astrid sighed, Hiccup paused and looked at her carefully, but did not dare to remove his hands a bit. "I lied."

"About what?" he asked her a little concerned.

"I wasn't out for a walk because I couldn't sleep. I was on my way to your house because I couldn't sleep."

Hiccup smiled and continued to brush, bringing her head closer and brought their lips together again. This time, long and lustful.

And there they sat, engrossed in each other, all night. Hiccup lovingly but gently brushing his fingers threw the beautiful hair of the girl he loves, and Astrid returning her feelings and the favor in kind.

And when they both became too tired to continue, just like at the healer's hut, Hiccup's caring fingers threw her hair lulled Astrid right to sleep. Hiccup continued to stroke her locks until he was sure she was completely asleep, her head pillowed by his shoulder and upper chest. And he followed soon after.

* * *

_Eight Years Later…_

The chief was up and about in his house by the Great Hall early in the morning. His wife had been away on a special fishing and trading journey with a few other villagers for the past month. Hiccup was so exited and anxious to see her and hold his beloved Astrid again. He missed her terribly. But luckily he had someone alike with him to keep him company.

"Oww! Ouch!" a little voice screeched from upstairs. Hiccup walked from the fire pit in the front room to the bottom of the wooden steps that led up to the bedrooms.

"You alright sweetie?" the chief hollered up.

"Yes daddy!" the young voice hollered back, followed by another little screech.

"Are you sure?" Hiccup asked back, already knowing what she was doing that got her like this.

"Yes daddy, I'm fine!" and another little yelp followed right after that response. Hiccup, already expecting what to find, walked up the stairs and into the bedroom he shared with his wife. And just as he thought, there was his little six year old daughter; sitting on the edge of the bed, trying to pull an old hair brush threw her hair. Hiccup smiled as he looked at her and shook his head as she glared back at her father with a pout.

"Stubborn; just like your mother," Hiccup came over to her and kneeled down in front of the little girl. "Let me help you sweetie," Hiccup asked gently, offering his hand out for his daughter to give him the brush. The young Haddock sighed, gave in and handed over the brush to her father. Hiccup smiled, sat on the bed with her, and asked her to turn around so he could do his thing. She did as she was asked as Hiccup placed the brush on the other side of the bed and began to brush his daughter's dark blonde hair with only his hands.

Asta Haddock reminded Hiccup so much of his dear wife. Same stubbornness, same big blue eyes, she even has the same nose as her mothers'. And her hair, while it wasn't as light and golden like Astrid's and was much thinner, it was equally just as soft.

"Daddy, when mummy asks you to brush her hair, why don't you use the brush?"

"Because mum trusts me more then that old brush," Hiccup happily tells as he combs threw his daughter's hair, painlessly getting all the little and big tangles out.

"Okay, then I guess I do to," Asta nodded her head in assurance.

"I'm glad. But seriously sweetie, I don't want you to hurt yourself trying to yank that thing threw your hair," Hiccup cautioned as he started her single braid. Most girls her age had their hair in two, but Asta wanted hers' just like her mothers'.

"Is that why you always brush mummy's hair for her and why she doesn't trust hair brushes?" Hiccup gave a small chuckle at that statement as he finished off her braid.

"Not exactly, but your mother knows how to brush her own hair without hurting herself." Hiccup dropped his hands from the young girl's hair, satisfied by his handy work as usual.

"Can she show me?" Asta excitedly turns back around to her dad on the bed.

"Of course, you two can get started when she gets home," Hiccup nodded, taking her under the arms and lifting her onto his knee.

"She's coming home today right?"

"Yes, her boat should be docking back any minute now."

"Then we need to go. We need to be on the dock when the boat comes back," Asta squirms off her father and starts pulling on his hand to get him to stand up. "Come on."

"I'm coming," Hiccup laughed as he stood and let his daughter yank him down the stairs, out the door, and to the three pen stable behind the house where they kept Stormfly and Toothless. The third one empty; for now.

Hiccup lifted his little girl onto his best friend's saddle, got on behind her, lathed his prosthetic into the stirrup, and shot up into the air. As they dove down towards the docks, they could already see a boat just coming into port. Hiccup steered Toothless down and they landed on the wood platform that led to the dock where the ship was unloading.

Hiccup took little Asta's hand and told her to stay with him until they saw Astrid. Asta did as she was told and waited. Several other villagers came around with sacks and crates of new and old cargo. They all waved and happily greeted their chief and Asta smiled and waved to them all as well. Asta was beloved by all the Vikings of Berk. But no one loved her more then the chief and the young women walking up the dock with a Berk-crested satchel and an axe.

"Mummy!" Asta squealed, ripping her hand from her fathers' as he let her run to her mother. Astrid dropped her belongings to squat down and catch her daughter and hug her warmly. Hiccup watched the heart melting scene before him before slowly walking to them himself. As Astrid saw her husband, she carefully let her daughter go to rise back up to her feet. Hiccup hugged his wife anxiously and warmly before pulling back to give her a sweet kiss that screamed 'I missed you, my love.' As soon as they parted, Asta pulled on both her parent's leggings to get their attention. Mr and Mrs Haddock both looked down to their daughter as she spoke.

"Can we go for a family fly on Toothless?" she asked, giving a pleading smile with a few missing teeth. Hiccup smiled and looked to his wife for an answer; if she was up for it so was he.

"That sounds wonderful right now," Astrid smiled as Toothless came leaping over. They all laughed as Hiccup packed his wife's stuff into his best friend's saddle bag and jumped on, latching his prosthetic into place. Astrid lifted Asta up to sit in front of her father and she got on behind him. When they where all set, Hiccup opened the tale and Toothless happily bolted out of the docks and threw the sky. "Just don't try to practice Toothless' maneuvering in the forest," Astrid hollered into her husband's ear so he could hear her over the wind. Hiccup chuckled and steered them higher to avoid the trees as they flew into the dawn.

* * *

**Well that's that, hope you guys liked it. Keep the reviews coming and keep an eye out for my new stuff to come!**

**P.S.: _Asta_ and _Astrid_ both mean 'Divine Beauty' in Old Norse.**


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